Thrifty Galifty

Hello again!
I would first like to say a HUGE thank you to all who read, commented, and messaged me regarding my last post! Thank you for being an awesome blog community and some pretty cool friends/fam!

Secondly, when I decided to jump back into the blogging world, I knew I wanted to start branching out into other topics besides my faith and life lessons. (Which are 2 of my fave topics.) I have so many passions and interests that I would love to start writing about!

SO! With that being said..
Today I am going to talk about thrifting and what I am learning about it so far. I'm pretty much a newbie.

Earlier today, I went with Makenna (HUGE mistake haha) to a Goodwill store that's pretty much right down the street from our home. I will say that I do like to check out more local thrift shops then chains but I always seem to strike gold when I go to this Goodwill and plus, I was looking for something very specific.
The first I've learned about thrifting is to drop my daughter off with my parents, haha!
This goes along with the second thing I've learned about thrifting:
BE PATIENT!
And it is quite hard to be patient when my 2 year old is trying to escape the cart and grab everything she sees! So going solo or just without a child is better. No but seriously patience is much needed when on the quest to find awesome items. It takes time to sift through things (especially clothes) and find the hidden gems.

Here are a few things I found today!

I literally spend $10.48 on all of this. Everything except the picture frame all the way to the right (which is BRAND NEW from Walmart, still in the package and cost $.50!) is from Target. Everything but the grey shorts (I like grey, can you tell?) still had tags on it..including the cute, oversized grey sweatshirt, the lamp and that cute, little wall decor.

About that yellow wall decor!

Check out the original price on the price tag:

Can't see it? (Notice it's still in the box)

That's right, the original price of this little, glass thing for the wall cost $16.99!! WHAT?! I remember seeing this in target and thought, no way dude..I'll wait till they mark it down but even their clearance price was way too much to spend on this. I purchased this, brand new, still in the box for $1.25. Now THAT price is more like it!

The thing that I like the most about this Goodwill is that every week, Target brings over their clearance items that just aren't selling in the store and they donate it to the store. They had TONS of things (with tags still on it) such as shoes, jackets, other clothes, lamps (like the one you see in the picture) but all at a Goodwill price. 

It's all about learning which days to go! (Another thrifting tip!!)

Lindsey Turner, from the blog Thrift and Shout, has an awesome page of Thrift tips that I love to read and that you can to by clicking here. Her blog is also filled with all of her super cute thrift finds!

One more thing I'd like to chat about when it comes to thrifting lessons, is to not judge a book by its cover and give things a chance.

Take this lamp for example:

I have been looking for a small, cute lamp for the desk that we just put in our living room. I really couldn't bring myself to spend almost $20 on a CUTE, new lamp (that didn't even include the lamp shade) when all I needed it was for my desk. I found this one, with the tag still on it and didn't like it. I circled around the store and looked at the other lamps that were just poopy and made my way to picking this one up again. I decided that after some new paint to get rid of that black, some distressing, and a cute lamp shade from the store (that I can handle to spend, I guess) this, not my style, lamp could work! I am unaware of the original price but it only cost me $2.50 at Goodwill. I'll take that as a win :) I'll make sure to post the "after"! 

Well, that's all from my end friends! If any local pals ever want to take a thrift trip, just holler :)

Happy Thursday! Yay for Friyay tomorrow!!!

Much love!

A Little Transparency

Hey friends!

It has been such a while since I've posted!

Life has been busy and filled with so much! We have settled into our new home more nicely than I could have ever planned. Our house has never felt more like, well, home! The two years it took to finally get in here has been more than worth it. I love making memories in this home. Good is SO good!

Also, our sweet baby, Makenna, turned one on August 14th and life with a toddler has been, well, exhausting but absolutely amazing :) She is learning and growing so much every day and I love being able to be her mommy. 

So, jumping right into it, I am going to be totally honest. 

I had an entirely different post planned, typed and ready to publish. Normally after I am done writing the draft for a post and have proofed it, I automatically publish it without any second thought of the topic. But this time was so different. My iPad kept messing up and it literally would not post. 

You bet your bottom dollar I took that as a sign from God to rethink what I wanted to post about and have be seen by the public eye.

My deleted post was all about disappointment and all the things that have been getting me down lately. After my iPad kept glitching, all it would let me do is go back to the draft so I reread the post and it really hit: "oh my gosh, how WHINY do I sound?! I can't post this! Is this really the Jesus I want people to see in me?!!"

It kept me up till after midnight, last night, thinking about how much I look over everything I've ever been blessed with. I've focused on the negative for so long that it's starting to become normal. When did I start developing this glass half empty attitude?? This is NOT me!

I jumped out of bed, lit a candle in the living room and wrote out, in my journal, all of the disappointments I was going to post about. Under each of them, I wrote the positives. 

I wrote how God can, is or will take these disappointments and turn them into something beautiful.

A few examples:

Disappointed by friends?

 Lately, I've been focusing on the friendships that have faded away, the feeling of being left out or forgotten. I needed to write this out in front of me and really pray over the many friends and family that Jesus has blessed me with. That He can always continue to work in my heart to be a good friend or daughter, wife or sister. I have many people in my life and in my little family's life that are so beautiful inside and out. I am more than thankful for these people. 

Disappointed by what's on the news?

Use that as fuel! Fuel to get out and be proactive. What I see on the news should give me, a follower of Jesus, more incentive to get out and spread the Good News. To lead others from death to life. Instead of filling my mind and heart up with fear because of what is happening in this world, I need to take a moment, look up and thank Jesus for the life He has given me. How blessed I am to live so free and GOOD! To have a hot shower and dinner every.single.day. Ok, so the dog may pee on the floor or the guy in traffic who cut me off, gave me the finger. Things could be SO MUCH WORSE.

Lastly..

These past few months (ok, maybe more than a few) I have been thinking of my old life back in NY. This was a place I was born and raised in for almost 20 years. I up and left, never looking back and have only returned 3 times since 2009. This was one of the last disappointments I wrote about last night.

I miss it. I really do! 

I watch shows or movies based out of NYC and my heart literally hurts. I think of how life would've been if we had moved us to NY. What would my marriage, with Eric, be like? Would Makenna even be here with us? It even hurts my heart now to write about it.

But I thought about our life here in South Carolina. I think about how much Eric and I have grown up here. 

I think about NewSpring.

How ABSOLUTELY grateful am I for this church?! 

What would life have been life if we moved to NY, never have attending NewSpring??

Jesus has used this church over and over and over and over (you get the point) to bring us closer to Him. Goodness, it's where Eric and I were both saved, almost TWO years ago, side by side!

I think of KidSpring and how my daughter goes to a safe environment each week and learns about Jesus on her level. Where volunteers take time to nurture and pray over her every week. 

Would we have found that in NY?

My roots are there; memories that will never be forgotten and people who may have only been in my life for a season, but have made a difference. 

But we are meant to be here, in South Carolina. This is where Jesus needs us to be. This is where He, currently, has us living out His plan. Meditating on that alone overwhelms my heart with joy. 

I absolutely love where God has my little family right now. I love where He has me.

I love looking back at harder times and what I learned from that situation. I love looking at a list of "disappointments" and how He can point out the good that can be found in everything.  

Doesn't mean more disappointments won't arrive at my door. The point isn't that, being a follower of Jesus means hard times won't come..it means when they do come, I can handle them with His strength, grace and love!

The best is yet to come my friends..the best is yet to come :) 

MUCH love! 

Hey Lonely Mama

Hey friends!
So there is something that has been on my heart that I would love to get out there.

Motherhood has been so fantastic.
So beautiful, so humbling, so sweet and
so lonely.
Weird describing word huh?

Now I love being a stay-at-home mama.
I am so unbelievably blessed to have a husband that works so hard during the week so that he's able to provide for his family. I am so proud of him and thankful that I am blessed to stay home and raise Makenna. I am also blessed to have my parents so close to me to help out with Makenna when I need a second to myself.
But there's something that stay-at-home mama's don't want to talk about or don't want to admit in fear of seeming ungrateful...it's this sense of crushing loneliness that comes over our lives like a wave.
I've realized that motherhood can be so lonely.

I had so many plans for Makenna and I before she was born. We would grow up as close as my mom and I did, have long & deep conversations about faith and Jesus (we still have a little bit to go with that), we would experience so many firsts together and... we would make a ton of mommy and baby friends. 
I had pictured in my head of all the fun things I wanted to do with my future mommy friends: play dates all the time, library trips, day trips, duo family getaways.. I was certain going into motherhood that it would be a time in my life where I would make friends that I would consider soul sisters! I had always dreamed of having friends like that.
But now? Now that Makenna is almost 11 months old, I look around when I'm at the mall, the park or even at my church and I get sad (even a little jealous) at the close knit groups of parents that there are. Talking and laughing with each other, their kids playing around like they are siblings.

This is not me saying I have no friends, because I do! But life is busy and we all have different schedules. There are just not enough hours in the day sometimes for play dates, or wine whining to each other. Money can be tight for a lot of us to take that duo family vaca I long for. I am so grateful for the handful of mama (and non mama) friends I can count on but sometimes it's just not enough; I want more.
Selfish?
Sure!
Honest?
Brutally.
On a side note, to have great friends, you must be a great friend and I've been asking Jesus to help my heart understand and act out on this.

I'm sure this is just a funk or a phase; something I'm bound to move past.
I am trying to cherish this time as much as I humanly can. This time where Makenna constantly needs me, my attention and my love because I will never have these moments with her again.
But..
If you're a lonely mama reading this, just know you're not alone and it's OK to feel this way.
This can just be a difficult time in our life to make new friends and sometimes keep them. Sometimes I feel like making new friends is harder than dating!!
Feeling lonely in a crowded room is not uncommon and I understand it.
I hope and pray by reading this post you know that there is somebody else out there feeling the same way you do and know, this too, shall pass.

So much to you all <3

My Little Black Suit

Hey there friends!
I know, I know it's been a LOOONG time since I've posted a new post! Life has been extremely busy and that's a good thing!
Eric and I are finally becoming home owners and will close on a our first home, sometime in July!
WOOHOO! 
PRAISE!!
We are super excited and can't wait for this new chapter in our lives! God's timing has been more than perfect with this entire situation. I've learned to appreciate His silence because it's then I can only imagine what He's  putting into place behind the scenes :)

SO..
today I did something bold, courageous and a little intimidating!
I bought..
a bathing suit.
To most of you this may not seem like a big deal but to me, it's HUGE!
I haven't worn a bathing suit since 2013.
Ok I did once when I was pregnant but it was at my in-laws house, around family only and I practically jumped into my towel the second I got out of the pool.
Well, Makenna and I have a play date at the lake on Friday. It's going to be a high of 99º and there was no way I'd make it without getting into the water..not even with just a tank top and shorts.
So I decided it was time to stop hiding this body that motherhood has given me; to stop acting so ashamed.
I braved the heat today and went to Ross with Makenna I was surprised that I had picked out 8 bathing suits to try. I was feeling pretty down and disappointed trying them all on until I tried on THE one! It felt like I was shopping for my wedding dress! It fits so well and I am super happy with it. I can't wait to actually sport it on Friday with all my mommy friends! It's makes me feel how my old little black dress used to make me feel..
WONDERFUL!

But here's the thing..
I'm going to be totally honest, these past two weeks I have been down right miserable; about my hair (cutters remorse), my body and just the way I look in general. My (sweet, very patience and loving) husband has heard me whine about how I look, practically since I gave birth. I know a lot of moms feel this way, but for me, it's been so hard to stare in the mirror and look at something (my body) that is totally unrecognizable! I've been, mistakingly, comparing my body to other moms and wondering why my body didn't bounce back quite as fast as theirs did. I was body-shaming nobody but..myself!
It was only just last week, I cried myself to sleep not just because of how I looked but how I was feeling. Tired doesn't even begin to describe it, even if I get 8+ hours of sleep; my skin has been breaking out like a girl going through puberty and, oh my, I've just been feeling super sluggish. My eating habits have just become so out of control and I was beating myself up over it.
The last conversation I had with my husband about it, he wasn't..well..as gentle about as he has been. He was totally honest with me (he's one of my best accountability partners!) and said that if I don't like how I look and don't feel great about how I eat..then to do something about it!
How simple right??
So many things were on my mind when I went to sleep that night. Eric was right..why wasn't I doing anything about it? I kept making reasons not to try and feel my best: Pregnancy gave me a serious sweet tooth and I swear I crave more food breastfeeding then I did when I was pregnant! I have not even one athletic bone in my body and I would much rather sing for hours than go work out.
SO MANY EXCUSES!

I was praying to Jesus until I fell asleep that night. I wanted Him to give me a peace and a will to do better when it came to my body. I wanted Him to convict me if I needed convicting.
All that came through Him allowing me to tap into my own common sense and that it all comes down to this:
I CREATED LIFE.
I GAVE BIRTH TO A LITTLE HUMAN.
I HOUSED A TINY CREATURE IN MY BELLY FOR 9 (10) MONTHS!
My body may NEVER be the same again!
But it's ok!
The story that my body tells is amazing. Every stretch mark is a reminder of what it did. Every inch of loose skin is a reminder that my belly was Makenna's comfort, home and where God decided to bless me and placed her there to make me a mother.

The more I look at exercising or getting into shape as a way to lose weight and just look good, the more I don't want to do it. I just stare at the numbers on my scale instead of paying attention to how I feel.
I was so scared to go bathing suit shopping today and for what??
Because of what I may look like?
To who??
I have a husband who thinks I am beautiful and a daughter that got to hang out inside my belly for almost a year!
Honest time here: it's easy to preach/feel this when I'm on a high of how I looked today! It's so hard to think this every time I look in the mirror. My plan of action is to think back to today; of how I felt looking in the mirror at me wearing that bathing suit. It may not be an eensy weensy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini but I felt GOOD!! And for right now, even if just for today, that counts :)
I've made a promise to go about getting into shape in a whole new different direction..
•to eat right
•stay active with things I like to do (going for walks, running or riding my bike!) 
•compliment myself on a regular basis 
•be comfortable in a body that has done miraculous things! 

We all go through it..the body shaming! To anyone that may be struggling with what they look like, in whatever way you may be struggling..you are BEAUTIFUL!
No really!!!!
YOU ARE!
My prayer today is that women all over the world can have a moment today, tomorrow and every day after where they can look at themselves and feel awesome! That you can all have your "little black suit" moment!

So much love to you all and I promise to post more than once a month ;)

What I would tell my new, mama self!

Being a new mama is tough! 
Getting adjusted to a new sleep schedule, recoving from giving birth, catering to every single need of this tiny human, getting your chest used breastfeeding/pumping, and so many more adjusments!
Before giving birth to Makenna, I had so many misconcieved notions of what motherhood was really going to be life. After hours on google and spending so much time talking to other mama, I thought I was SO prepared. I thought mother hood was going to be something I can easily transition into...
WRONG! 
While I have suprised myself these past, almost, 9 months as to how much I adore and love motherhood..those first fews day, actually WEEKS, were nothing less than just rough.
SO!
In honor of Sunday being Mothers Day, this post is all about the top 5 things I wish my new, mama self had known!
Here we go:

1) Do not get caught up in all the "stuff." 
Motherhood is seriously such a huge marketing scam.  You have all these different companies advertising their stuff for babies that makes you feel you just HAVE to have it! Electric thermoter? CHECK! A $900 swing? CHECK! 500 stuffed bears and other cute little animals? CHECK! That pretty, fancy, frilly daiper holder thingy that holds all the diapers? CHECK!
NO!! I've learned that having a newborn does not require a lot of "stuff" and that less is actually more. Looking back on it now, I'm almost thankful we brought Makenna home to a 5th wheel so that we had the excuse of limited space! Makenna did (and still does) indeed have more than she needs but not in a ridiculous amount.

2) You're not going to bounce back right away after giving birth.
I always thought that having a C-section is what would have been the biggest healing process after giving birth. I never thought a VB (vaginal birth) would have left me in the condition it did! After Makenna was born, she went into the NICU. I rememeber having to go down there every 2 hours to nurse her and my body was so worn and tired that I was unable to even stand up to change a diaper. I couldn't sit, could barely lay down or turn over in my bed and the nurses put such fear into my head of when I would finally go number 2! I give so much credit to my body for doing what it did to deliver our sweet baby and wish I gave it that credit then. I remember being so frustrated and impatient that my body wouln't let me do anything! One thing that I can advise to new moms is that we all need different amount of times to heal. Don't look at other mamas and think "oh she healed so much faster." Give yourself and body a break AND a good pat on the back :)

3) Breastfeeding doesn't make you Mom of the Year.
When I was pregnant I wanted nothing more than to breastfeed my daughter. My heart was more than set on it and I gave myself no other choice. Well, when Makenna was in NICU, she had a giant cast on her arm that held in the IV and it made it very difficult to nurse her with that in the way. The nurses were always running tests and checking on her that it messed with our feeding schedule. Makenna had no interest to latch on because she was already too upset. I started to pump milk right away and have been pumping, every day, ever since then! There were a few times in the hosptial that we had to feed her formula. It crushed me and I was way too upset. I wish I knew how important it was that my baby was just FED. While pumping as much as I do does make me feel a little bit like a champ, it DOES NOT make me better than any other mama out there! I wish I would have relaxed when it came to breastmilk and pumping. Makenna has been getting nothing but my milk since we came home from the hositpal and for that I'm happy but it wouldn't have been the end of the world if dthat wasn't the outcome.

4) It's OK to have time to yourself.
I am SO thankful to have my parents right up the road. They are so good with Makenna and really pay attention and respect how Eric and I like things done with our daughter. I definetly utilize their closeness to have time to myself. Whether it be to just head to the grocery store or serve at church for a few hours during the week, it is super important to recharge and have moments to myself. Mentally and spiritually. When Makenna was really little and I needed some time to myself or even for a date night with my husband, I felt super guilty leaving Makenna. I would totally tell my new, mom self that it's ok to take some time to yourself and especially to date your husband. We, as mamas, are still humans (shocker!!) and need to take some time to show some love to myself.

5) Mom shaming is NOT COOL!!!!
This one. Ok, now look, we are all guilty of being judgy toward other mamas, myself included. But I am SO sick and tired of seeing the mama bullying that goes on about anything and everything: how we handle discipline, sleep habits, breastfeeding or formula, organic or non organic, homemade pureed baby food or store bought, how fast your baby is developing, working moms VS SAHM and OH MY the list goes on and on. It needs to STOP! We are all a community. No seriously we are!! A community of women who want nothing more than to see our children happy, healthy and successful. We need to stop showing condemnation and start showing compassion. When Makenna was first born, I spent a lot of time comparing. Why?! For what?! I am me and Makenna is her and we are both different than every single person on this planet. While one parenting mathod may work for our family, doesn't mean that it will work for any other family.
We all love our kids and while we don't all need to be eachothers best friends, we NEED, we MUST, respect the fact that we are all different and are going to parent different ways. We must show eachother love and kindness.
I still compare sometimes. But only sometimes because I've learned that there is no point in seeing what's on the other side of the fence. I need to spend my time and energy focusing on my side.
The bullying needs to stop and the mom shaming needs to stop.

Well there ya go! Have something to add or share? Let me know!
I hope all the mama's out there reading this have a GREAT Mother's Day. I hope you are made to feel important and loved because you are. God chose you to be a mama for a reason.
For those that are hurting at the thought of this day coming up, I'm here. Always!
gfmamaj@gmail.com
Much, much love!!

I am NOT Supermom

And I don't have to be.
Nor do I WANT to be.
This all came upon me last night as my husband and I were tucking ourselves into bed at 8:30. Yes 8:30! We were asleep before 9 and I didn't wake up until 7:45 am when laughter from my baby alarm clock came blaring through the baby monitor.
Makenna is 5 and a half months old and while I feel like I'm being the best mother I can be, (thank You Jesus!) there is one thing I need to stop doing:
Putting so much pressure on myself. RELAX
Over the past few years my anxieties have grown beyond my control. It's been taking a lot of prayer and work on my part, through the direction and grace of God, to just relax. My, somewhat of a, type A personality means the house can never be a mess, Makennas room has be organized and God forbid if the shirts in our dresser get out of their neat, little stack. I start to sweat when Eric doesn't take off his shoes after coming in from outside and I see dirt all over a freshly swept floor. The dishes on the drying rack need to be in a specific order, as well as, the items in our refrigerator.
I've realized that trying to control every aspect of my life leaves me feeling exhausted, aggravated and defeated. After Eric and I said our nightly prayer last night and we both turned over to our sides to fall asleep, I started to pray on my own. I prayed to God that He would seriously move in my heart and help me relax. That He would seriously allow me to loosen to the, extremely, tight grip I have on my life and let Him take over the control. I've done this before and the outcome has been great but I always seem to get right back into that anxious state.
This side of me is spilling over into my journey of motherhood.
I feel like it's a personal race to strive to get Mama of the Year. I strive to give my baby only breast milk, which I've been able to do successfully, and feed her and our family organic everything, a home cooked meal for Eric and I when he gets home every night, the house being spotless, laundry done, lunches packed for the next day, meals prepped, make it to every mommy and baby play date there ever was in all the world  to keep Makenna socializing and make myself look presentable every day.
PHEW!
The list and the pressure goes on and on of all that I feel needs to be done on the daily.
So as we were laying in bed last night...
At 8:30 PM..
With dishes in the sink..
The cat liter not scooped..
And I'm praying to God to relieve some of this pressure, and to keep me from going into the kitchen and washing Erics chocolate milk cup..
He gives me my answer.
Just STOP. Turn off my brain for a SECOND and listen to Him. Stop trying to do it all. I am raising a little human, all day and everyday. It goes by so fast and I need to start enjoying the moments I have with her and my husband and not worry about all the little stuff. God was putting on my heart that I need to stop being the uppity, in control, super mom and super wife person that I've become. I'm missing moments and snuggles and time with my rapidly growing, little baby because the dishes NEED to be done the second the last bite from dinner reaches our mouth. I mean, come on!
I'm going to have my moments. I'm a woman and I'm human! But for the most part, I'm ready to let it go. I've surrendered my life to the One who wants to take all my burdens, worries and anxieties and handle them FOR me! So that I can enjoy life for all it's worth and not worry about the unmade bed. Or the fact that I had a 3 Musketeers chocolate bar instead of an apple for a snack.
 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
-1 Peter 5:7
I going to spend a lot more time focusing and meditating on the verse above because it screams truth! 
I do not have to be a super wife!
I do not have to be a super mom!
I just need to do right for my little family, for others and most importantly, for God.
Like I said in my last post, I Am Learning.., I'm doing just fine. I CAN give myself a pat on the back sometimes (or like everytime I pump 20 oz of milk). I have so much love and happiness, in me, that I want to spread to so many people, especially my family, and I need just need to not get caught up and give my sole attention to the wrong things. I'm prepared for God to start changing my heart. 

Have something on your mind? Anything you need to get off your chest? You know where to reach me and I LOVE hearing from you: gfmamaj@gmail.com
Much love! 

I've loved doing life with these two and it's the most beautiful to watch how God moves through our lives.

A letter to the high school Amanda

Dear Amanda,

You are amazing. 

Beautiful. Talented. Unique. Special. 

It's your senior year of high school; you're getting ready to venture out into the big world and you're feeling anything but those qualities I used to describe you. Hear me when I say your smile can light up a room and that singing voice you've been working so hard on to perfect really IS that good. 

You'll grow into your awkward chest, you finally discover what makeup is and no, your rump never gets bigger. Sorry. Oh and by the way, you are BY NO MEANS fat. There's going to come a time when you look back on pictures from this moment and pray to God that you could have that body back. Appreciate that body. Be kind to it. 

Ignore those that hold no real significant meaning in your life. I know it's hard to turn away from the whispers behind your back or the dirty looks in the chorus room but I promise that 2,3 even 4 years down the road those fellow classmates will be even further then a distant memory. Block it out the best you can because you won't see about 99.9% of them again after graduation. 

It's OK that your grades suck. Academics has never and will never be your "thing." Just keep singing. Pour your heart and soul into it! Try your best to be able to graduate and don't worry about the rest. Enjoy the memories of singing in all the different choirs you're in now, ALL State or performing in your last drama performance. It'll be the last time you're on stage for quite a while. 

Be prepared for the biggest heartbreak of your life. You will think he is your first love but I promise, he's not even close to what your first love really feels life. This boy will lead you to new and, what feels like, exciting places. You feel on top of the world. It doesn't last. The relationship is toxic and brings you to a place in your life that you never thought you'd be. When it ends, your heart is going to feel like the biggest rock came and crushed it. Pick yourself up. You're soon going to be in a new place soon and experience new things. which all leads you to meeting the man of your dreams!

This man will be your first love. This man is not looking for love when you meet and vice versa. But he sweeps you off your feet in an instant. You both fall madly in love with each other very quickly. He loves and adores you for who you are and doesn't take advantage or try and change you. He accepts all your baggage and does his best to mend your heart every day. He will change your world. He wants to marry, love and protect you for the rest of your life. So don't be jealous of the marriages your surrounded by. Don't go searching for him. Don't worry when it doesn't work out with anyone else. Your prince charming is on his way.  He is worth the wait.

You're going to lose friends and even family but don't sweat it. It's hard and to this day you will mourn the loss of some of those people from your life. But those that are meant to be in your life will stay around and the friends that you make down the road are simply amazing! They want nothing but to build you up, make you laugh and just love and support you! Keep the negative energy away from you even if that means ending friendships you thought would last forever. You marry into a wonderful family with a sister-in-law who becomes a best friend. These are the people worth sticking around.

You're going to question God. A lot. Keep chasing Him. Follow that feeling in your gut and, yes, change your college major to ministry. Keep building your relationship with Jesus. Trust in Him because the road is long and hard to get to where we are now. Things are about to happen in your life that will shatter your soul. Keep seeking Him. He has plans to save you. He has plans to bring a church into your life that will help move mountains in your heart. He has plans to prosper you and create miracles in your life that you never thought possible. 

Like a baby. Yes despite what you might have said in the past, you ARE going to be a mommy. It's going to be the sweetest time in your life. You are going to wake up every day, look at that baby and feel more then blessed. I promise! It will have taken a lot of time, patience and prayer to have her enter the world but she is more then worth it. She is one of the greatest things to have ever happened to you. She will help you grow up and love your husband even more. Enjoy every second, take a deep breath and know you're an awesome mom!

Lastly, give your mom and dad a break. Yes they get upset when you do something wrong, yes they have to discipline you but it's for the greater good. Cling tight to them because they love you more then anything in this world. A love that you will understand the second you have your own baby. Your relationship with them goes downhill and stays there for a while. It does get better. The hurt heals and the relationship begins to flourish again. Remain honest when you get there and you will all be ok. They will be your best friends and people you see every day. You will get told how much you look, sound, act like your mom and don't even try to act like that bothers you. Because you love it! :)

Take time to be happy, give yourself a pat on the back and know that the best is yet to come. Your life goes through so many ups and downs but it's worth it all to get to where you will be in 6-7 years. Be kind to others and don't lose your free spirit. Don't conform to what the world wants you to be. Be strong and hang in there for the ride. 

It's a beautiful one.

First day of senior year :)

The Happy Challenge

Hey y'all!
I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Ours was great. We were able to hang out with family quite a bit this weekend, which always makes me happy. Church was fantastic yesterday and the message, as always, left such an impression on my heart that I hope to carry throughout my week. For anyone that is ever looking for a great church, please check out Newspring Church online and I promise you won't regret it.
So I was challenged by a follower, on instagram, to write the 10 things that make me the happiest! This is in no specific order and I challenge all of you to do the same!
1) My faith:
I love my growing relationship with God. I am honored to be the child of a King! I'm constantly looking for my next step with Him and love how far we've come.
2) My family:
I LOVE family. I'd spend and see them all every day if I could. There is nothing like getting together with those that we love most and seeing them with Makenna.
3) DIY:
I am no an artistic person whatsoever but I love finding things to make on Pintrest. My daughters whole nursery is one giant Pintrest project.
4) Food:
I love to eat. I love to cook; especially the better I get at it. I try out new and healthy recipes all the time and love it.
5) My animals:
I am not a cat person and living with an 85 lb weimaner in a fifth wheel is not easy but I love animals; especially my own! They were our first "babies" after all.
6) Music:
Even if it's just in the car, acting goofy, I LOVE to sing and play piano. Music has and always will be such a huge part of my life. In fact, my new serving position at Newspring Church will be to sing and act with the kids in Kidspring. I am SO excited to teach them Jesus on their level especially through the best way I know how.
7) Driving:
I know that sounds silly but to me there is nothing like rolling the windows down on a beautiful day, putting on some country music and go cruising down some back roads. I did this way more before Makenna was born and even before I was pregnant. Eric and I would drive anywhere to see where we'd end up and just talk. Those days are so sweet to me.
8) Friendship:
I've learned a lot about myself through friendships I've either had in the past or have now. There are some friends that are so close to my heart, no matter how often we talk. I believe God brings people into your life for a reason; (We all know I'm about His reasons!) whether it's for a lifetime or just for a season. I am so thankful for all friends that I have, both past and present.
9) My marriage:
I love doing life with my sweet husband. I love how he makes me feel and I love the amazing guy he is and always continues to become. As you can tell, he's one of my favorite subjects to write about. He's definitely a huge reason for my happiness.
10) Motherhood:

This little girl right here is the light of my life. Makenna has taught me so much about myself more then anything or anyone.To think Eric and I created something so beautiful just overwhelms me. I am so blessed and thankful that God chose me to be her mommy. Motherhood is beautiful, stressful, amazing, fun, tiring and demanding of my patience but to watch her grow up and know that we are shaping her life just completes me!!

God gives us so much to be happy and grateful for everyday. Church yesterday reminded me of how beautiful my life is because of Jesus and how much joy He wants for me in my life. I could have listed 50 more things as to what makes me happy but these are the 10 that matter the most.

I would LOVE to hear from you all the 10 things that make you the happiest! Send an email (aljanson819@gmail.com) or write a comment.

I hope you all have an amazing day and hey! If you have a Facebook, make sure you find my new blog page and like it by clicking this link:

GFMama

Your support is much appreciated and gives me a reason to keep writing. Have a great start to the week!

Much love!!

Hello my name is Amanda and I'm addicted to fall!

Why do so many people just love fall so much?
I could think of TONS of reasons:
-Pumpkin everything
-Thanksgiving
-Comfy sweaters and sweatshirts that make you want to snuggle with the first thing you see
-That crisp and chilly feel in the air
-The feeling that the crisp air gives you; the kind of feeling that just makes you think and feel good inside
-The constant burning of apple pie, whipped pumpkin pie and apple cinnamon candles in the house. Though I let those scents burn all year round.
-Knowing that soon after fall is Christmas!! (Anyone start their shopping yet?? This mama has!)
My favorite is the fun of going to a Famers Market on a nice day or the pumpkin patch. And these past two days, I have done just that :)

Yesterday evening we went pumpkin picking and hay-riding with one of our favorite little familes! They brought their daughter Olivia who was a little bit more into it then our sleeping baby. It was a nice night and we always have fun with them. Heres some pictures to share:

It was such a beautiful sunset last night! Made for the most perfect pumpkin picking environment

Eric was finally able to babywear Makenna, our little pumpkin head, and loved every second of it. Judging by the way she was passed out the whole time, I think she did too. She loves her daddy!

So many pumpkins to choose from!

Sunflowers are my favorite and have been since I was a little girl!

We made it home a little after 8 with some yummy Chick-Fil-A to eat and Makenna was wide awake. We've never taken her off her schedule before and probably won't again for a while since she was up till 10 pm laughing at the warning label in her bassinet, haha!

Today, Eric and my dad were able to go to the Gamecocks football game, (thanks to his awesome boss!) so my mom and I decided to check out the Soda City Market in downtown Columbia. It was AWESOME! So many cute vendors and fellow babywearers! Here are some pictures from today's adventure:

There was a breast cancer marathon going on as well, so we saw lots of pink! 

We were able to fill a box with as much farm, fresh vegis and fruits that we could fit. We took great advantage of that and I'm so excited to fill my fridge with it with so much healthy yumminess!

Makenna loved being outside in the fresh air for the second day in a row!

Now let me tell about this amazing restaurant we stopped at for lunch. The ENTIRE menu is gluten free! (Happy day for this Celiac!) It's also vegan and dairy-free friendly. They name of the place is Good Life Cafe and everything is raw. Their food isn't cooked, it's dehydrated (I hope I got that right) and never goes above 115 degrees. I had the eggplant/bacon sandwich on onion bread with a fresh fruit cup and kale salad. YUM! I recommend it to anyone of my SC friends!

Days like today give me an extra boost of a reminder of how good I have it. How life is just so wonderful and the blessings that surround me, even in a simple sandwich, amaze me! God works ALL the time. He never stops showing me how wonderful my life can be if I just follow His lead. 

I hope all of you are enjoying your fall so far! As always, my email is always open (aljanson819@gmail.com) with anything you feel the need to send. I love reading your emails and the audience I'm getting from across the world is amazing and totally keeps me motivated to keep writing! God is good, God is great.

Much love!

  

The story of our miracle baby

Our little pastry chef, haha!

"For this child I have prayed." -1 Samuel 1:27
Happy two months to my sweet baby girl, Makenna! I cannot believe it has been two months already but at the same time it feels like she has always been in our lives. It amazes me how I cannot even imagine what life was before this little girl took over our hearts. I was thinking, to celebrate her being two months today, I'll tell you the background story of how Makenna is our miracle baby :) It's officially one of my favorite stories to tell.
I had always wanted to be a mom. I love children and my first job was working at a place called Party Playhouse-we threw birthday parties for kids and I had a blast working there!
When I met and married Eric, I couldn't wait for us to have a baby. About 5 months after we were married, we started to try for our first. We were both pretty nervous and excited at the same time.
Fast forward to a year later and we still weren't having any luck. I went to the doctors and had a check over to make sure I was healthy and everything checked out ok. I was getting nervous because I knew what the year mark meant. Problems.
After rattling my brain and much research, I decided it was best I faithfully followed the Gluten Free diet that I needed to follow, due to Celiac Disease. All the arrows were pointing to that being the problem so I disciplined myself and eliminated all gluten from my diet.
The next 10 months after that was truly a test of my faith. And for a majority of it, I failed. I watched friends get pregnant and others have their babies with envy. I would cry myself to sleep wondering what was wrong with me while Eric kept insisting it was him, even though we both knew it wasn't.
I knew in my heart it was because of the Celiac Disease and me not following my diet for so long. I was trying all I could to make it right and I felt like a failure for not being able to give my husband the gift we longed for.
During this time Eric tried so hard to keep my faith up; telling me it just wasn't our time yet and it will happen in Gods time, not ours. I just grew more bitter. At the end of November 2013, I watched a few more friends post their happy pregnancy announcements and lost all hope for us. I once again went to my husband for comfort and instead of telling me it'll be ok, he grabbed my hand and prayed for us. Something we SHOULD have been doing all along.
Two weeks later I felt compelled to make an appointment with an OBGYN and see what fertility options would be available for us. I was able to get in that Tuesday with the physicians assistant and went with my mom and Eric. The doctor checked me over, took some blood work to check my thyroid and said she would call me with the results. She wanted to do an ultrasound the following week to see if all was ok there. We left on happy terms knowing that we were finally doing something to help ourselves have a baby.
The next morning I was leaving for work and literally just locked my front door when my phone started ringing with the doctor on the other end. When I asked if everything was ok she had told me we didn't need to go ahead and look into any fertility treatments. I was so confused and the first thing that ran through my head was that it was over; there was no chance for us. After asking her why, she told me the news.
I was already pregnant!
Happy wasn't the word for it and I couldn't stop crying! At the ultrasound that next week, we discovered that I became pregnant around the second week of November. Finally! It was our turn to become parents. Eric couldn't believe it when I told him the news. We were both just so happy!
God had a plan all along to bless us with a child. He just wanted me to be healthy and to fully rely on His timing and plan, which we did when Eric finally prayed over the situation that November night; when I was already pregnant!
After 9 months, 22 hours of labor, 20 minutes of pushing and Makenna ending up in the special care nursery, we had her. She is the result of a miracle. I grow more in love with her everyday and I am so blessed to be her mommy. It was the wait and every tear. I couldn't thank The Lord more for making us parents.
While it may not be a baby, I know there are a lot of you waiting for something. Do not give up hoping and praying. God hears you, I promise and is waiting till He knows you're ready for whatever
blessing He wants to throw your way. He wants good gifts for His children and all you have to do is have faith. I pray for you each of you that has something in your heart that you're waiting for.
I'm here to pray with you over anything! If you have something to share please send an email to aljanson819@gmail.com!
Miracles happen everyday. I am so thankful for mine and I know you will be for yours.
Much love!

Happy Octogon Day!

Happy Octogon Day?!
Yes. My last post should've been about "reasons you know you're a new mom when.."
Why did I think today was called Octogon Day, I have no idea and the lady I spoke with at the Ford dealership, when I asked if they were open today, didn't bother to correct me either. Ha!
So! While I respect Christopher Columbus and thank him for finding America, today is going to be called Octogon Day in the Janson house!
And this tired mama says that's final! ;)
How many of you find yourselves to be in a total daze sometimes? Motherhood has me so tired that sometimes I don't even remember if I had breakfast, let alone what I ate! The more busy I get being a mommy, the more out of it I feel. But I wouldn't trade this time of life for all the sleep in the world!

So today I was finally able to do this:

Yay for babywearing! It took us two months to find what kind worked for us and our budget. This one is the Infantino Fusion Flexible Position and it's just the start of the collection. Wearing her is so much fun and I'm already trying to save up to get some fancy ones. I can't wait to see her and Eric with it. He's already tried it on and can't wait to try it out. Makenna was so comfortable and fell asleep both the times I wore her today quickly. Any advice for me about baby wearing? Please share!

Our car has been in the shop since Friday (go Ford!) so that has made things a little rough, but what can you do? Life can definitely raise my stress level at times but I always need to remind myself that God will provide the things I need. He'll never leave us stranded, as long as we have faith in Him! So I'm taking a deep breath and totally letting the hubby take of it, haha! 

I have pork loin in the crockpot that I'm so excited about it. It's a new recipe I found and I'm really excited to try it. Here's the link to check it out if any of y'all are looking for some new crock pot 

recipes! It smells amazing!

Applesauce Pork Loin

Well, I hope y'all are having a great start to the week and, as always, thank you so much for reading. I look forward to the emails I get from you. You can email me anytime at aljanson819@gmail.com if you need some prayers, smiles or just an ear to vent to! Send me recipes, prayer requests or anything else you may need. Have a good evening :)

Much love! 

You know you're a grown up when...

I'm sitting on the couch, already engaged in my morning routine, thinking about these last 8 weeks of motherhood and 3 years of marriage and how truly different my life has become.
Well obviously right?
Here's what I've come up with for reasons you know you're a grown up when:
*9 am is sleeping in
*cleaning your cats liter box makes you feel like you have your life together
*drinking in large quantities no longer amuses me. Actually nothing more then a glass of wine, once in a blue moon, amuses me
*you look at a group of teenagers and refer to them as "those kids"
*you wake up and your back actually hurts from lack of movement
*you kill a spider in your house without crying
*buying stuff for your house makes you feel giddy
*a young couple comes to YOU for marriage advice
*classmates from high school are getting married and/or having children
*you are married and have a child yourself
*about 99.9% of the pictures in my phone are of my baby. Or my pets
*a night on the couch sounds glorious
*you start shopping in the "miss" section at Kohls
*your mom really is your best friend
*you get excited when the 5:00 news comes on
*your credit score is on your priority list
*bargain shopping and seeing how much you can save becomes a hobby
*bedtime is something you actually look forward to
*you start working on yourself and trying to become someone others can look up to
*you realize you still need some help from your parents and you're ok with that
*you've mastered writing a resume
*things like car taxes, house taxes and Christmas shopping make it into your monthly budget
*you subscribe to magazines like American Baby and Better Homes and Garden
*you've started taking care of your body
*because your metabolism isn't quite keeping up like it used to
*you realize how important buying an extended warranty on a car is. Especially for a Ford (AH!)
*your baby smiling is the best thing you could ever look at
*you realize how much God really does have your back
*you and your husband look for other parents to hang out with because they get it. They just really get it
And most importantly:
*you don't sweat the small stuff as much anymore. Life is going to happen. Cars will break down, people will still be mean to you, coffee will get dumped down the front of your shirt and you will still make mistakes.
Being a grown up is exhausting and there are times I don't want to do it anymore.
But I am blessed with an amazing family that never stops guiding us, a husband and baby that really do seem to like me and a God that will never stop getting me through this crazy whirlwind of life.
Want to add anything to that list? Comment or send an email!
I've been loving what y'all have been sending me. Seeing what God does in lives of others who I don't even know is rewarding so please! Keep them coming :) I'm always available!
As always thank you reading and I'm here for each of y'all. aljanson819@gmail.com
Much love!